Employment and Participation Rates

Why is this important?

The Region of Peel offers services to residents who are looking for work, while helping to remove barriers to employment.

The participation rate is the proportion of working-age residents who are in the labour market working or actively looking for work; and

The employment rate is the proportion of working-age residents who are working (employed).

When the employment and participation rates are high, it means residents have better access to job opportunities.

How is this measured?

Statistics Canada conducts a Labour Force Survey that tells us what percentage of people who are of working-age are either currently employed or looking for a job.

The Region of Peel gets employment and participation rate data from Statistics Canada.

What progress are we making?

We have seen a slight decrease in the employment rate in the past 10 years because the proportion of seniors working and looking for work is lower than the rate for other workers. Including them in the rate pulls the overall rate down.

Peel's employment and participation rates for core working-age residents have remained above 70% and 80% over the past 10 years.

The Province of Ontario and municipalities like the Region of Peel are studying how to improve the Employment Services they offer.

The Region of Peel will continue to support residents who want to find jobs.

Participation rate is the proportion of working-age population who are in the labour market, employed or looking for work.

Employment rate is the proportion of working-age population who are employed.